Farms for the Future: Massachusetts - American Farmland Trust

CHAPTER ONECommonwealth Farms: Many Products, Many BenefitsMassachusetts has a rich and diverse heritage of farming, and the Commonwealth’s agriculturecontinues to be an integral part of the state’s economy, culture and landscape. From cranberry bogs toapple orchards, dairy farms to greenhouses, vegetable fields to livestock operations, the state’s diverseagricultural industry remains composed primarily of family farms, which are increasingly focused onvalue-added products and direct-to-consumer marketing to improve farm profitability.Some of the public benefits of the state’s 6,100 farms and 519,000 acres of land in farms are readilyapparent—the scenic beauty of a pumpkin field in the fall or a pasture of grazing dairy cows in thesummer, the availability of fresh-picked fruits and vegetables from June through November. Otherbenefits are not as obvious, such as farmland’s contribution to water quality, flood storage and carbonsequestration; the access often offered to neighbors and community residents for hunting, walking orsnowmobiling; or the role of farms in keeping town budgets balanced.Generating Revenue and JobsFarms are a vital component of the state’s economy.The Commonwealth’s farms generate$384 million in annual sales of farm products,employ 13,545 workers and spend nearly$216 million statewide on inputs such as feed,seed, livestock, fertilizer, electricity and fuel.Massachusetts farmers also pay $23 millionannually in local property taxes. 1 The economicimpact of farming can be particularly large insome communities. For example, a 2006 studyperformed by First Pioneer Farm Credit foundthat the total economic impact of agriculture inCarver is over $55 million per year. 2The Commonwealth’s agrarian heritage is anintegral part of the state’s appeal to tourists.Picturesque pastures and orchards, rural villagesanchored by working farms, and bountiful harvestsof seasonal farm products clearly play alarge role in attracting the estimated 31 millionvisitors who spend over $12 billion each year. 3Helping Balance Municipal BudgetsLike commercial properties, farmland helps tobalance municipal budgets. Cost of CommunityServices (COCS) studies done in towns andcounties across the country consistently show thatfarmland generates more in local property taxesthan it requires in local municipal services.Conversely, residential development generallyfails to generate sufficient tax revenues to offsetthe costs of providing services to its residents.Unlike human residents, cows don’t play soccerand cranberries don’t go to school, so farms“Fingertip Facts”about Massachusetts AgricultureCash receipts$384 millionFarms 6,075Farmland518,570 acresAverage farm85 acresFarmland value$9,234/acreFarms with hired labor 1,770Workers 13,545Wages paid$99 millionFarmers’ markets 141Roadside stands 414Food manufacturers 2,600Revenue$6 billionCash ReceiptsGreenhouse/nurseryFruit/vegetablesCranberriesMilkLivestock/poultryOther cropsCattle36%20%12%12%9%9%2%Source: Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources(MDAR); data based on 2002 Census of Agriculturerequire little in the way of town services orinfrastructure. Even when assessed at its agriculturalvalue, as it is under Chapter 61A inMassachusetts, farmland helps to finance neededtown services. 4American Farmland Trust1